Trend Alert: Statement JewelryBig, bold and over-the-top! Statement pieces are a huge trend in the world of jewelry this season. Whether it's layering on many different pieces, or boasting one large wow-factor design, this is a trend that fits every style and every budget. In fact, what better way to cost-effectively update your wardrobe than with beautiful, sparkling, glitzy jewelry that gets noticed!

Platinum Plating:
Platinum can be used as a finish coating over sterling silver or copper alloys. Its bright, pure luster enhances the brilliance of gemstones and does not discolor or oxidize. Platinum plating is also characterized by its good resistance to surface abrasion, making jewelry pieces more durable against everyday and long-term wear. Over time, platinum plating will wear off and therefore will require re-plating.

Store your plated jewelry in a jewelry box lined with felt or anti-tarnish material. Items should not be stacked as this may cause damage to the plating surface.

Do not use excessive pressure when cleaning with a polishing cloth or soft brush, as this may cause damage to the plating.

Over time your plated items will need to be re-plated. Contact your local jeweler for information on plating services.
Cubic zirconia is the most readily available, inexpensive and brilliant simulated diamond on the market today. Cubic zirconia does occur naturally in small quantities, but all of the cubic zirconia on the market is produced in a laboratory.

On the Mohs Scale, which measures the hardness of minerals, cubic zirconia is an 8.0 to 8.5. It is important to understand that hardness is not necessarily related to durability. Even though diamond is the hardest mineral (10.0 on the Mohs Scale), it can still be chipped or broken.

The only ways to tell the difference between cubic zirconia and diamond are by use of a thermal probe, by weighing the loose stone or by microscopic examination of surface features and inclusions. Cubic zirconia weighs approximately 65% more than diamond. Therefore, while a 6.25 mm round diamond weighs about 1.00 carat, the same size cubic zirconia weighs about 1.65 carats. If you know the weight of a cubic zirconia, you can figure out the diamond weight equivalent by multiplying the cubic zirconia weight by 0.6, or 60%.

Few natural diamonds on the market today are perfectly cut, and those that are cost much more than the usual diamond. Unleashing the fire, beauty and brilliance of a stone depends on its precise cut. Simulated diamonds are an excellent balance between quality, beauty and price.

Glossary

Brilliance: The white light leaving a jewel, traveling upward, which is visible to the eye. Brilliance is sometimes referred to as “sparkle.”

Dispersion: Flashes of rainbow colors. Also called “fire.”

Hardness: Resistance to scratching. The higher the number, the more resistant.

Stone-intensive and bold, Sonia Bitton jewelry boasts an across-the-room sparkle that demands attention. By utilizing the same manufacturing techniques as fine jewelry, Sonia Bitton has created a supremely elegant, uniquely inspired collection that looks and feels like high-end diamond jewelry.

About the Guest
A EVINE Live favorite for years, New York-based designer Sonia Bitton brings fashion-forward vision, a gifted eye for design and a distinct personal touch to her creations.

World travel, a passion for jewelry and Sonia's proud French heritage are the inspirations behind the signature designs that have earned Sonia a legion of loyal fans.

Join Sonia on-air as she shares her most beautiful creations and opens the door to a world of elegant, high-end designer jewelry for every woman to enjoy.